SALFORDIANS walking past a row of shops in Seedley may be forgiven for thinking that the derelict building had been hit by a bomb, but they simply collapsed after years of neglect.

Punters at an adjoining betting shop on Liverpool Street were stunned when there was a huge crash and the street was showered with debris. No one was hurt after the incident, which happened on Sunday, September 15, at around 1pm.

Amid the row of shops was the former Advertiser office, which was used up until 1994, when the paper moved to its current home in Church Street, Eccles.

The office also moonlighted as the premises of the fictional Weatherfield Recorder in Coronation Street.

A council inspector was sent to the scene and it is thought what remains of the ramshackle buildings will be demolished.

Passer-by Chris Eaves, who lives in Cadishead, was driving past the derelict buildings and witnessed the moment that they collapsed, leaving a trail of debris scattered across the road.

He said: "I was driving past when it happened and I couldn't believe my eyes. There were people in a nearby pub, and they all came out to have a look at what was going on."

The fire service confirmed they were in attendance, and a demolition firm was called in to clear the debris. Councillor Norman Owen, leader of Salford's Lib Dem group, said: "There is a primary school near the scene and we can only be glad that this did not happen on a weekday."